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Vaccination Misconceptions are Dangerous and Deadly

An alarming survey by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) finds an increasing number of physicians are encountering parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. The most common reason cited -- a belief that the diseases vaccines prevent have been wiped out. Cook County Health & Hospitals System (CCHHS) physicians say that is a dangerous misconception.

"Many of the vaccine preventable illness are now uncommon enough to be out-of-sight out-of-mind, but with increasing international travel across the friendly skies, diseases such as measles, are just a breath away," said Dr. Swati Bhobe, a board-certified pediatrician at CCHHS' Vista Health Clinic in Palatine. "We are still far away from complete eradication of some of the diseases and I always remind those patients who have doubts that it just takes one under immunized or unimmunized person to cause a widespread outbreak in a community."

Dr. Bhobe notes that last year's national outbreak of measles and other regional outbreaks of whooping cough show how critical vaccines remain for children's health.

In addition, Dr. Bhobe reminds parents that ensuring a high community vaccination rate is crucial for vulnerable individuals. The higher the percentage of immunized people in a community, the lower the chance of someone who is not immunized getting the disease.

The survey of doctors who are members of the AAP found 87% have been challenged in the last year by parents who refused to have their children immunized, up from 75% in 2006.

Although on the decline, the survey found the safety of vaccines continues to be a concern of over 60% of parents who refuse vaccines.

Dr. Bhobe assures parents that all vaccines undergo long and careful review by scientists, doctors, and the federal government to make sure they are safe.

"We need to protect our loved ones with the most easy, affordable and safest way to do so and that is by following the immunizations schedules," said Dr. Bhobe.

According to the AAP, routine childhood immunization will prevent about 42,000 early deaths and 20 million cases of disease saving $13.5 billion in direct costs and $68.8 billion in societal costs.

If your child needs to see a physician, please call 312-864-KIDS (5437) to make an appointment at a CCHHS clinic near you.

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